Grinding machine



Dec. 12, 1939.

If 67 sin 70 l. A. TAYEOR GRINDING MACHI Filed May 18, 1958 -5 q; IAT

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JIVUMHQTI IRVING FLTFIYLEIR awe/1414211 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Dec. 12, 1939. A. TAYLOR GRINDING MACHINE Filed May 18 1958 in ucnfoa I FivlNcs FLTHYLQH alto-V0144;

- Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PATENT OFFICE GRINDING MACHINE Irving A. Taylor, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., at corporation of Massachusetts -Application November 18, 1938, Serial No. 241,126

8 Claims.

The invention relates to'grinding machines, and more particularly to' a large cylindrical grinding machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practical precision grinding machine, such as a large extremely long cylindrical grinding machine having a massive reciprocabletable for supporting a work piece or the rotatable grinding element. A further object of the invention is to provide a large cylindrical grinding machine having a, long reciprocable table upon which is mounted a work driving motor, with a power transmitting mechanism for conveying electric current to the motor on the table during reciprocation of the same. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved electric power transmitting mechanism for conveying electric current to a motor or motors on a reciprocable table. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

, The invention accordingly consists in the fea tures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the mechanical features of this invention,

Fig.1 is a front elevation of a large cylindrical grinding machine of the work traverse type, showing the improved electric power transmission mechanism; I Fig. 21s a rear elevation of the improved ma- 35 chine as shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale, showing the electric power cable supporting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the carriers for supporting the power cables, as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a, fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation, on an enlarged scale, of two of the cable carriers and the headstock bracket formoving the carriers; and I I I Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 50 approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

This invention is particularly adapted to large sized extremely long cylindrical grinding machines for grinding large rolling mill rolls and the'like which may be either one of two types, namely;

55 work traverse type, asillustrated' in the'draw traverse type has been illustrated in the drawings 10 having a base H] which supports a longitudinally reci-procabl'e work table M on the usual V-way and'flat way (not shown); The longitiminally reciprocable'work table H serves rotatably to'supi '1 port a work piece by means of a headstock I'2f 15 having a headstock center I-3 and afootsto'ck I l having a footstock center i5 rotatably t0 s l fl a work piece to be'ground therebetween. 4 The headstock I2 is preferably motor driven by anelectric motor l8 mounted on topof the headstock i2. The motor l-B-is connected by means ofa multiple V-belt drive contained within a belt; guard l9 rotatably'to support the headstock spindle (not shown) to rotate the work piece for a grinding operation. 25

The base I 0' also serves as a support for atrans versely movable wheel slide 25* which issupport ed on a pair of spaced parallel V-ways 26' and 21' formed in the upper surface of the' base HI. The Wheel slide 25 rotatably supports a Wheel" 6 spindle (not shown) which in turn supports a" grinding wheel 28 at one end thereof. A power driven mechanism is provided for rotating the" grinding wheel 28' comprising an electricmotor 29 which is mounted onthe'u wheel slide25; The motor 29is connected t'orotate the wheel spindle and grinding wheel 28 by means of a multiple V-belt drive 3llwhich iscon-- tained within a belt guard 3| supported on the wheel slide 25. 40

A suitable power operated work table reciproeating mechanism (not shown) is provided'to reciprocate the .work supporting table" Il"longit'udinally. This mechanism has not been illustrated in detail in the present case since it is not con-' 5 sidered to'be a part of the present invention. This": mechanism is preferably hydraulically operated and is substantially identical with tliat shown'i'n the U. S. patent to Wood No. 2,071,677:date'd"Feb=' ruary 23, 1937, to which reference may be had for 0 details of disclosure of the work table'rec'iprocat ing'mechanism not found'herein. The work tab'le' reciprocating mechanism is supported within an apron mounted on thef'ront of the machine base.

A reversing lever40'is actuated by a pair of ad pper surface of the justable table dogs 4| and 42 to control the flow of fluid to the table reciprocating mechanism. A control lever 43 operates a stop and start valve (not shown).

A manually operable traverse mechanism is provided for traversing the table manually when desired. This mechanism may comprise a manually operable hand wheel 45 which is mounted on the outer end of a shaft 46. The shaft 46 carries at its inner end a gear 41 which meshes with a gear 48 carried by a rotatable shaft 49. The shaft 49 also supports a gear 56 which meshes with a rack bar 5| depending from the table II. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that rotation of the manually operable traverse wheel 45 in either direction serves to transmit a, traversing movement to the table II. The direction of movement of the table II is determined by the direction of rotation of the man- 26 ually operable traverse wheel 45.

A grinding wheel feeding mechanism is provided for producing a relative transverse movement between the grinding Wheel and the work piece to grind the work to the required and predetermined 26. size. In the present case, as illustrated, the wheel slide 25 is mounted for a transverse feeding movement relative to the table II. This is preferably accomplished by means of a hydraulically operated wheel feeding mechanism which is substan- 30-tially identical to that shown in the prior U. S.

"patent to Wood No. 2,071,677 above referred to. The feeding mechanism may comprise a manually operable feed wheel 66 which is connected to rotate a gear (not shown) which in turn 36-meshes with a gear 6| mounted on the outer end of a feed screw shaft 62 which is connected by means of a half nut to cause a transverse feeding movement of the wheel slide 25 and the grinding wheel 28.

Due to the fact that the relatively long base 'has long exposed stretches of table ways, it is desirable to provide suitable protection to prevent dust and grit from accumulating on the table ways. As illustrated in the drawings (Figs.

45 1 and 2), telescopic guards 65 and 66 are mounted at opposite ends of the table II. The inner ends of the telescopic guards 65 and 66 are connected to move with the table II. The overhanging end portions of the telescopic guards 56 are slidably supported on a pair of spaced ways or bars 61 and 68. These bars or ways 61 and' 68 are in turn supported by a plurality of brackets 69 each of which is in turn supported by adjustable posts or supports I6 and II (Fig. 3).

55 The outer ends of the telescopic guards 65 and '66 are anchored to one of the supporting brackets 69 and the ends of the ways 61 and 68 so that when the work supporting table II is reciprocated longitudinally, one of the guards in 0 the direction in which the table is moving will collapse and the other guard will be extended as the table moves so that the table ways are at all times covered.

A machine of the type illustrated in the draw- 65 ings is particularly designed and intended for grinding work pieces up to forty or more feet in length and one foot or larger in diameter. In

such a machine, with a table reciprocatory stroke of forty feet, more or less, it is desirable to 76 .provide an electric power conveying means so that during the reciprocatory stroke of the work supporting table II, electric current may readily be transmitted to the headstock motor I8. In

order to attain one of the objects of this innt vention, it is desirable to provide an electric power transmitting means comprising a single unbroken length of electric cable by means of which electric power may be conveyed to the reciprocating work supporting table during its entire maximum length of stroke. Power is transmitted to the machine from any suitable source by means of a cable 86 to a junction or control box 8| which may be set on the floor adjacent to the right-hand end of the machine (Fig. 2) or may be fixedly attached thereto. 10 An electric cable or cables 82 having one end connected to the junction or control box 8| extends along the machine and is connected at the other end to the motor on the headstock I2 which is carried by and reciprocates with the 15 work table II.

The cable 82 between the junction or control box BI and the motor I8 is of sufiicient length to allow the table II to reciprocate through its maximum stroke and is preferably arranged in the form of a helix. When the table II is at the extreme end of its stroke toward the left (Fig. 2), there is sufficient slack in the cable 82, as required by the cable carrier mechanism to be hereinafter described.

It is desirable to provide a cable carrying and supporting mechanism to take up the slack in the cable 82 as the table II is reciprocated. In the preferred construction, a guideway, such as a rod, cable or an inverted track 96 is provided extending lengthwise of the machine and arranged parallel to the table ways and located adjacent to the right-hand end of the machine (Fig. 2). The track 96 is supported by a plurality of spaced brackets 9I which are supported by the brackets 69 in the overhanging end portions and by a plurality of brackets 92 which are fixedly mounted on the base I6. The track 96 is an inverted track having an opening in its lower surface through which extend a plu- 49 rality of longitudinally movable cable carrier units to be hereinafter described. The cable carrier units each comprise a pair of spaced wheels or disks 93 and 94 (Fig. 4) which are connected by a cylindrical portion 95. This wheel carrier rides within the track 96 and is provided with a downwardly extending bracket 96 which is connected by a stud 91 with a flanged member 98 which in turn supports an annulus 99. The annulus 99 in turn supports a pair of 50,

insulator blocks I06 and I6I by means of spaced studs I62 and I63. The insulator blocks I66 and I6I are provided with a central aperture which is arranged to support either a single cable 82, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, or a plurality of electric cables I64, I65 and I66, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 7. The insulator blocks I06 and I6I may be of any suitable size and may be provided with an aperture sufiiciently large in size to support the desired number of electric cables necessary for transmitting the electric power to the headstock motor I8 onthe reciprocable work table II and also to convey current to any motor which may of necessity be supported on the reciprocable member. A plurality of cable carrier units are provided at spaced intervals along the inverted track 96 so as to support the intermediate helically arranged portion of the cable 82 between the junction box 8| and the motor. I8. In the preferred 7 form, the electric cable or cables 62 are fixed to an end bracket adjacent to the right-hand end of the guard supporting mechanism. The cable is then arranged in spiral coils, one loop being arranged between each of the carrier moved along to extend or collapse the power ca ble as the table'moves in theopposite direction. A flexible connection, such. as a flexible cable or a chain HI (Figs. 2 and 5), is connected between adjacent carriers 93. The chain or flexible meinber l H: is of sufficient lengthfto allow the desired amount of extension of an individual loop in the cable. One end of the chain or cable is supported by a bracket H2 which is fixed to the drive casing H) of the headstock l2, and the other end is fastened to the end bracket 69. When the table is traversed toward the left (Fig. 2), the flexible member or chain H I attached to the headstock bracket H2 pulls the first carrier member 93 along, and thecarrier 93 through the connecting cable IH pulls the next carrier along and so on until the cable 83 has been extended gradually asthe table moves to the lefthand end of its stroke (Fig. 2). When the table II is traversed toward the right from this position, the headstock bracket l l2 engages the first carrier 93 and various carriers 93 are successively collapsed and the cable or cables 82 are at all times supported so that they do not contact with or chafe on either the machine base or the floor adjacent to the machine.

The operation of this improved power trans-- mitting mechanism for a large cylindrical grinding machine is readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure. The machine'is constructed and arranged with the required number of electric motors on the reciprocable table or carriage. As illustrated, only one motor is required on the headstock l2. The electric cable or cables 82 are provided so as to transmit power to the motor l8 and the cable is coiled in loops each of which is connected to a carrier member 83, so that when the table is reciprocated, the cable may be extended or collapsed as the table moves. While a machine of the work table traverse type cylindrical grinding machine has been illustrated in the drawings, this invention is equally applicableto the other common. type of grinding machine, namely, the grinding wheel traverse type grinding machine such as, for example, that shown in the prior U. S. patent to Norton No. 1,096,188 dated May 12, 1914.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocabletable thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed relative to the base and the other end fixed to said carriage, and means including a track fixedly mounted on said base and a plurality of carriers slidably supported on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends during reciprocationo-f the carriage.

2. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed relative to said'base and the other end fixed tosaid carriage, and means including a longitudinally extending track fixedly mounted on said base and arranged parallel to said table and a plurality of carriers which are movably supported on said track to support said cable at spaced intervalsbetween its ends during reciprocation of the carriage.

3. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed relative to said base and the other end fixed to said table, a longitudinally extending track supported on said base which is arranged parallel to said table, and a plurality of carriers on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends during reciprocation of the carriage.

4. In a grindingmachine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed relative to the base and the other end fixed to said carriage, the intermediate portion of said cable being coiled in a helical form, and means including a track fixedly supported on said base and a plurality of carriers slidably mounted on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends.

5. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motorhaving one end fixed relative to the base and the other end fixed to said carriage, the intermediate portion of said cable being formed as a helix, a track, and a plurality of carriers on said track, each of said carriers being arranged to support a portion of said helix.

6. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed to said base and the other end fixed to said carriage, a track supported on said base and arranged parallel to said table, a plurality of carriers on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends during reciprocation of the carriage, flexible connections between each of said carriers, and connections between the end carriers and the base and reciprocable table respectively, said flexible connections being arranged so that when the table is traversed in one direction, the carriers are moved longitudinally by means of the flexible connections.

7. In a grinding machine having a base, a longitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed to said base and the other end fixed to said carriage, a track supported on said base and arranged parallel to said table, a plurality of carriers on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends during reciprocation of the carriage, link chain connections between each of said carriers, and link chain connections between gitudinally reciprocable table thereon, an electric motor on said table, a flexible power cable to convey electric power to said motor having one end fixed to said base and the other end fixed to said carriage, a track supported on said base and arranged parallel to said table, a plurality of carriers on said track to support said cable at spaced intervals between its ends during reciprocation of the carriage, flexible connections between each of said carriers, connections between the end carriers and the base and reciprocable table respectively, said flexible connections being arranged so that when the table is traversed in one direction, the carriers are moved longitudinally by means of the flexible connections, and means on said table to engage the end carrier whenthe table is traversed in the other direction to collapse said carriers and cable.

IRVING A. TAYLOR. 

